After seven years with the Foxes, Kelechi Iheanacho looks set to depart Leicester City this summer. Despite Leicester returning to the Premier League by winning the 2023/24 EFL Championship title, Iheanacho was a spare part for much of the campaign. The Nigerian’s refusal to negotiate a new long-term contract early in the season resulted in him being left on the periphery of the City first team.
Now aged 27, Iheanacho has scored 35 times in 173 competitive appearances for Leicester. Although it’s a far from remarkable statistic, he’s certainly proven himself an effective foil for the likes of Jamie Vardy through the years. As he enters the prime years of his career, Iheanacho’s next move will be a vital one.
Regular game time will be a must for Iheanacho, having only featured in half of Leicester’s 46 league games this term. In fact, he grabbed more headlines with the national team than with the Foxes this season. After all, Iheanacho took the bold decision to leave Manchester City at the end of the 206/17 season in search of regular first team football .
The potential front-runners for Kelechi Iheanacho’s signature
Aston Villa are searching high and low for solid back-up to first choice centre forward, Ollie Watkins. The England international has cemented himself as Villa’s main striker, but they need more firepower to rotate Watkins and keep him fresh. At the present time, Jhon Duran is having to play that role, but he’s only just turned 20 and is very much a long-term project.
Villa have certainly enjoyed a landmark season under new boss, Unai Emery. With qualification for the 2024/25 Champions League now secured, they certainly represent an attractive proposition for Iheanacho this summer. It would be great for Iheanacho to provide competition for Ollie Watkins, who has sealed the title of the Premier League’s top assist maker this term. The former Brentford man was priced as short as 1/50 with Betway, one of the leading UK-licensed online betting sites , to take the crown ahead of Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne. And we now know, it was a safe bet.
Journalist, Dean Jones, believes Iheanacho’s time in English football could be up. On the eve of the end of the Championship season, Jones said Iheanacho was being lined up for a move to Turkey , with Trabzonspor rumoured to be negotiating heavily for his signature.
Trabzonspor have had a great season of their own in the Turkish Super Lig, finishing third and securing a place in the Europa League qualifying stage. The lure of potential European football – and the chance to qualify for more European competitions in a league that’s very top-heavy in terms of quality – could tempt Iheanacho to make the move east.
Trabzonspor haven’t struggled for goals this season, with 65 scored in 37 matches to date. However, the team’s top scorer, Paul Onuachu, is only on loan from Premier League hopefuls, Southampton. The 29-year-old looks certain to return to the Saints in the summer, so Trabzonspor will be in the market for a new front man for the 2024/25 season.
Serie A title-winners Inter Milan are another club that have been watching Iheanacho from afar for some time. Inter were made aware that Iheanacho was refusing a new contract at the King Power Stadium, so would be a value free transfer pick-up this summer. Inter are also looking at FC Porto front man, Mehdi Taremi, with the Iranian international averaging more than a goal every other game with the Portuguese giants.
Wherever Iheanacho goes, it’s been an incredible rise to stardom for the Owerri-born striker. The Nigerian has appeared 54 times for the Super Eagles, scoring 15 goals for his country. This includes several appearances at AFCON 2024 , after shrugging off injury issues, along with his compatriot Wilfred Ndidi . After representing the Taye Academy in the city of Imo, Iheanacho was given the best possible upbringing at Manchester City from 2014 onwards.
After being part of Leicester’s FA Cup-winning team and appearing in the Champions League with the Foxes, Iheanacho has achieved plenty in the East Midlands. Now is the time for him to be a little selfish and pick a club which will give him the best platform to express himself and remain in contention for the national team as he approaches his peak.
